SWISS Air Rail
SWISS offers an excellent transport network in conjunction with SBB that will bring you to us and take you back again from selected railway stations in Switzerland and areas close to the border outside Switzerland. This extensive offer and the guaranteed connection mean you arrive at your destination faster and more conveniently.
Your benefits
Guaranteed connection
We will rebook you quickly and easily onto a later connection if your train or plane is delayed. That way nothing will stand in the way of your trip.
Easier travel planning
SWISS Air Rail links your rail and air journeys together. For you that means: you only need to make one booking with SWISS for the entire journey by train and plane, and you only need to check in once.
Convenient arrivals
Our flexible ticket conditions enable you to design your journey to suit you and then travel to the airport when you wish. You can check in your bags as soon as you arrive, or you can book a baggage delivery service to make your journey to the airport easier.
Extensive timetable
Zurich and Geneva Airports are well connected to all destinations within Switzerland thanks to frequent daily rail connections by SWISS Air Rail. We also offer direct connections from Zurich to Bregenz in Austria and Munich in Germany.
Route network
Travelling by SWISS Air Rail
You can book SWISS Air Rail simply and easily in conjunction with a SWISS flight. Select the railway station of your choice as your departure or arrival point and book your entire journey with SWISS.
Start your air journey by train
- You can check in for SWISS Air Rail and your connecting flight 24 hrs before departure on swiss.com, or you can be checked in automatically 18 hrs before departure (where available). You will then receive your boarding pass for your journey by SWISS Air Rail. Please note that there are no check-in facilities at the railway stations.
- Your boarding pass is also your train ticket. It is therefore important that you can show your boarding pass in electronic or printed form on request.
- Direct connections from SWISS Air Rail destinations take you conveniently to Zurich and Geneva Airports, depending on where you’re travelling from. Please check the route network for the available connections in advance. Passengers travelling to Bellinzona and Lugano must change at Zurich Central Station (Zürich HB).
- The departure time for your train is shown on your boarding pass. Please check the current timetable on sbb.ch or the SBB Mobile app before your departure to take account of any possible changes to the timetable. Your SWISS Air Rail boarding pass is valid on all connections on the relevant route one day before departure and up to one day after the arrival of your flight. For trips to the airport, the scheduled train arrival must be at least 70 minutes before your connecting flight. The only exceptions are SWISS Air Rail connections from Munich Central Station (München Hbf) and Bregenz (in this case your boarding pass is only valid on the specific train you booked).
- You can check in your bags conveniently at Check-in 3 when you arrive at Zurich Airport. This is located one floor above the platform. On arrival at Geneva Airport, it is only a short walk to the check-in hall where you can check in your bags. If you wish to travel entirely without baggage, we recommend our baggage transport service within Switzerland. A fee is payable for this service.
- Please make your way to the security control at the airport to get to the gate for your SWISS flight and continue your journey to your final destination.
From the plane to the train
- With automated check-in you receive your boarding pass electronically for SWISS Air Rail and your connecting flight 18 hours before your departure. Alternatively, you can check in yourself on swiss.com 24 hrs before departure. If you haven’t checked in electronically, you will receive a physical boarding pass for your connection with SWISS Air Rail at your departure airport.
- Please collect your baggage after landing at Zurich or Geneva Airport, proceed through customs and make your way to the railway station only a short walk away. Follow the signs at the airport. If you wish to travel entirely without baggage, we recommend our AirPortr baggage transport service within Switzerland. A fee is payable for this service.
- Your boarding pass is also your train ticket. It is therefore important that you can show your boarding pass on the train in electronic or printed form on request.
- Your SWISS Air Rail boarding pass is valid on all connections between the airport and your chosen SWISS Air Rail station on the day of your flight. The only exceptions are SWISS Air Rail trains from Munich Central Station (München Hbf) and Bregenz (in this case your boarding pass is only valid on the specific train you booked).
- There is a direct connection from/to Zurich Airport to most destinations.
- If travelling between Lugano or Bellinzona and Zurich Airport you must change at Zurich Central Station (Zürich HB).
- There are direct connections from/to Geneva Airport to/from Lausanne, Freiburg/Fribourg and Bern.
Important information about your SWISS Air Rail ticket
A valid ticket is required for any train journey by SWISS Air Rail. Tickets are available via swiss.com or from a travel agent, but not from the station ticket office or baggage counters. SWISS offers automated check-in, but you can also check in manually on swiss.com.
The SBB website also offers regular SBB tickets for routes outside the SWISS Air Rail network.
You can also book a Swiss Travel Pass. This gives you unlimited travel by train, bus and boat, as well as free admission to over 500 Swiss museums and a 50% discount on most mountain railways.
Regular SBB tickets and the SWISS Travel Pass are also available under “My bookings”.
The following documents are accepted on SWISS Air Rail:
- Boarding pass with barcode
- Mobile boarding pass with barcode
- eTicket with barcode (on connections within Switzerland only)
Please note:
- A boarding pass is required for your flight confirmation (SWISS Electronic Travel Itinerary) without a barcode. A flight confirmation without a barcode will not suffice. You will be charged an additional fee by SBB on the train in this case.
- Your train ticket is valid one day before departure and up to one day after the arrival of your flight (except from/to Munich or Bregenz). For trips to the airport, the scheduled train arrival must be at least 70 minutes before your connecting flight.
- Your ticket can only be used for the route and fare you have booked.
Good to know
Passengers in SWISS Business and SWISS First also travel first class on the train. Passengers in SWISS Economy and SWISS Premium Economy can book an upgrade to first class directly with SBB for an additional charge.
There is an automatic complimentary seat reservation on SWISS Air Rail connections to Bregenz and Munich Central Station (München Hbf). If you would like an advance seat reservation on a route within Switzerland, we recommend the paid options available from SBB.
- Miles & More members can also earn miles and Points on their train journey with SWISS Air Rail. As a Frequent Traveller, Senator or HON Circle Member you also receive up to 50% more miles. You will find more information here:
- You earn Points, Qualifying Points and HON Circle Points in the same way as on flights operated by SWISS. There is a fixed maximum number of Qualifying Points or HON Circle Points that can count towards achieving a frequent flyer status on journeys by SWISS Air Rail. The maximum limits are: 160 Qualifying Points for achieving Frequent Traveller status, 500 Qualifying Points for Senator status and 1,000 HON Circle Points for HON Circle status.
- The same terms and conditions apply to rebookings and cancellations as to flight bookings.
- Please note that departure and arrival times may change slightly. Your SWISS ticket will always show the correct up-to-date departure time.
Frequently asked questions
You benefit from an automatic complimentary seat reservation on SWISS Air Rail connections to Bregenz and Munich Central Station (München Hbf).
You have a free choice of seat on SWISS Air Rail routes within Switzerland. If you would still like an advance seat reservation, you can purchase one separately for your chosen connection via the SSB ticket offices.
You must in principle use the SWISS Air Rail connection you booked. This applies in particular on international SWISS Air Rail routes to places close to the border outside Switzerland. On these routes your ticket is tied to a particular train, which means your SWISS Air Rail ticket is only valid on the specific train you booked.
If there are any travel changes, your existing ticket also remains valid within Switzerland for the route and destination concerned for one day before and one day after your planned journey.
No, there are no baggage drop and check-in facilities at SWISS Air Rail stations. However, SBB offer various baggage services within Switzerland. You will find more information about this on the “Baggage” page.
Yes, you can also book SWISS Air Rail for only one route. Select the option “Multi-stop flight” in your flight search and enter your travel route accordingly. For example: Basel – Zurich | Zurich – Tokyo | Tokyo – Zurich
You will be given the barcode for your journey at check-in. If check-in is not available, the barcode for the rail journey within Switzerland is also printed on your eTicket. You can also arrange to receive this by email.
It is important to us that we provide you with personal and comprehensive assistance as far as possible. We recommend you let us know your needs at the time of booking. Please contact SWISS to discuss any concerns you may have in connection with your flight, or contact SBB if you have any requests in connection with your rail journey.